Getting into the Spirit
by The Steel Angel
Summary: It's Thanksgiving time at Marco's house. But what will happen when a certain Andalite gets thrown in the mix? MarcoAx pairing!


**Getting into the Spirit**   
**By The Steel Angel**

  
  
  
  
  
  


**_Authors Notes - Another rare slash fic from me. I don't know why I'm writing it, or even what inspired me to write it. Hell, I don't even WANT to write it. But never the less, it's being written. Enjoy!_**   


"What do you mean, you're leaving?" Marco demanded, lounging on his usual hay bale inside Cassie's barn. Jake sighed, looking back and forth between Rachel and Marco.   
"Hey, it's not like I have a choice here. This year, we're having thanksgiving at my grandparents on my father's side." Jake said, this time, focusing his gaze on Rachel. "So we're both gonna be gone." Marco looked to Cassie.   
"What about you?" He asked. Cassie squirmed a bit.   
"I'll be going to my Aunt and Uncles... I'll be gone for a few days." She said. Marco sighed deeply, and threw his head back.   
"So I get to hold down the fort here all by myself? What if the Yeerks do something big over the next week?" He demanded.   
"You're such a baby, Marco. Ax and Tobias are here." Rachel said teasingly. Marco started pacing back and forth inside the barn. He was wearing jeans, and a windbreaker covered his shoulders. Being November, it had started to get cold. Even in the most arid of places. The sudden breezes cut through almost any jacket, as Marco found out. He shivered slightly as he walked passed the Andalite, who was standing calmy in the barn, in his natural form.   
If I may ask, what is the meaning of this holiday that you celebrate? > Ax asked, clueless as usual. Cassie looked back at him sweetly, and started to answer, but Tobias beat her to the punch.   
Thanksgiving is a time of the year when everyone gets together with the ones they care about, and they give thanks for everything they have, > Tobias said. Ax nodded.   
Of course, then it would only make sense for Prince Jake and Rachel to go with their own families, as well as you two, Cassie and Marco. > Ax said. Marco snorted.   
"I'd rather not. Sure, I'd love to be with my dad, but not when he's with Nora. Not on thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is supposed to be me, dad and mom," His voice cracked a little, and he turned away from the rest of the group. Jake put a hand on his shoulder, comfortingly.   
"Don't worry, Marco. It'll all be fine. We'll be back in a couple of days." Jake said. Marco shrugged free of Jake, putting on his usual sardonic grin.   
"Worry? Who's worrying? You think I'm gonna break down and cry because I have to spend yet another thanksgiving with a woman who's not my mother? Think again." He said defensively, and laid back on his hay bale. Jake turned his attention toward the rest of the group.   
"Well, that settles it then. I'll see you guys in a week." He said, and gave Cassie a quick hug, and a peck on the cheek. She returned it, smiling. Jake and Rachel walked out of the barn together, presumably for the long trip that was ahead of them. Cassie turned to Marco, Tobias, and Ax.   
"If you guys are gonna stay for a while, you could help me clean up around here before I take off. I've gotta go finish packing anyways." She said.   
"Manual Labor? Oh! My back!" Marco shouted, putting a hand on his back, like he was in pain. Cassie rolled her eyes, and threw a broom at him.   
"You're so pathetic, Marco." She said teasingly, and walked into her house, to finish packing.   
"Well, I guess that's my cue to leave." Marco said, and stood up. Tobias had taken off without a word. "Probably going to say goodbye to Rachel in private..." he grinned at the thought. "I don't understand how she could be in love with bird-boy and totally ignore me." Marco said to himself, walking out of the barn. Unbeknownst to him, he was being followed by Ax.   
We cannot rationallize an emotion like love. Or lust, for that matter. > Ax said. Marco turned around to stare at him.   
"Oh, it can't be lust. If it was lust, she'd be around my arm right now. No one can resist the Marco Charm." He said with a smirk. Ax trotted slowly to catch up with Marco, then slowed to a walk when he was by Marco's side.   
Though I am curious. How did this "Thanksgiving" concept come about? > Ax asked.   
"Why?" Marco asked, looking back at the Andalite's face.   
Merely curiosity. You see, we Andalites have a very similar holiday occasion. Once a year, we all get together and express our thanks to the gods for blessing us so. > Ax explained.   
"Yeah well, I haven't been much of a thanksgiving person ever since my mom... well, you know." Marco said, his voice cracking yet again.   
I suppose even if I was with my own people, it wouldn't be a very special occasion. With Elfangor dead. > Ax said. Marco turned to Ax slowly.   
"Say, do you want to come to my house for Thanksgiving? I'd feel guilty if I left you out here all alone with no one to talk to but the Bird-boy. I don't need that on my conscience." Marco said. Ax looked a bit surprised.   
But I thought that this Thanksgiving was supposed to be a day where your family is together. > Ax said. Marco shrugged.   
"You're practically family, Ax-man. How many times have you saved my life?" He asked. Ax was silent for a few seconds. "Don't count!" Marco said. Ax smiled his Andalite smile.   
Very well then. I shall join you for this Thanksgiving. > Ax said.   
"Just call it thanksgiving, Ax. And it's tomorrow. So I'll come get you at around three-ish. Okay?" Marco asked. Ax nodded. "Cool. See you tomorrow." Marco said, and quickly made the transformation to Osprey. He flew off, leaving Ax to wander back to his scoop, alone.   
  
  
  


*** 

  
  
  
  
  
  


"Stay still!" Marco yelled in frustration as he tried to get Ax's suit on right. Ax was squirming, not being used to the tight confines of a suit. Finally, Marco stepped back, and looked at Ax. He was dressed in a light blue tuxedo, with a black tie. "I AM good." Marco said.   
"Excuse me, Marco? Co. Marc. Marcooo." Ax interrupted. Marco looked back at him.   
"What?" He asked.   
"I have less than thirty of your minutes in this morph, and will I not have to morph to bird to get to your home? Mm. HO-me." He said. Marco slapped his forehead.   
"God damnit... Look. We've got a few rules at my house when aliens are over. First, no playing around with words. It doesn't look professional. And second, no going crazy at dinner." He said. Ax's head perked up immediately.   
"Food?" He asked. Marco nodded.   
"That's what caps off Thanksgiving. Dinner. Turkey, stufffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, pecan pie..." Marco licked his lips as he described the food. Ax's mouth was open, and he was literally drooling. Marco snapped out of his trance, and looked at his watch. "Jesus, we've gotta get going. Nora is going to have a coniption if I'm not back by five." Marco said, and began to morph to Osprey. Ax began to revert back to his Andalite form, taking the tuxedo with him. I didn't know you could morph a suit. > Marco said.   
Neither did I. > Ax retorted. Marco shrugged, and waited for Ax to make the transformation to Harrier. When that was complete, they took off, and headed toward Marco's house.   
Now, how are we going to get you inside the house as a human... it's too risky to have you demorph in the backyard...> Marco said.   
Marco, I notice that your bedroom window is open. Perhaps we could fly into your bedroom, and demorph there? > Ax suggested.   
Well, that's the only thing I can think of that might work. I'll demorph first, then I'll go lock the door. Then you can demorph and remorph. > Marco said, and flew into the room. Ax perched on Marco's roof for a few minutes, until. "It's clear." It was a whisper, but it was all he needed. Ax let the air spill from his wings, and flew inside. In five or six minutes, he was human again, complete with blue tuxedo. "God I hope this goes smoothly.... Ax? What are the two rules we went over?" Marco asked as he adjusted Ax's tie.   
"No playing with words. Sss. Whordsss. And no go going insane around food. Ane. Isane." Ax said. Marco sighed.   
"I'm a dead man..." He muttered to himself, and opened his door, leading Ax downstairs. Marco's father was sitting in his Lazy-boy, doing what looked like math problems on a sketch book. Ax peered over Marco's shoulder at the sketch book.   
"But that's not at all how to solve a quadratic equation..." Ax said as if he were talking to a four year old. Marco's dad looked up to see his son and Ax, wearing a black and blue tuxedo respectively.   
"Excuse me?" He asked, looking at Ax. Marco interjected.   
"Didn't Nora say to get dressed up, Dad?" He asked. Marco's dad looked down at himself. He was wearing a grey T-shirt witha motorcycle on it, and a pair of blue shorts. He chuckled to himself.   
"Okay, okay. I guess if you can manage to sit through dinner in a tux, I can to. Is your friend going to be joining us?" He asked.   
"Yeah... Dad, this is Phillip. Phillip, this is my dad." Marco said. Marco's dad stuck his arm out, and Ax took his hand, shaking softly.   
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Marco's Father. Ther. Quain." Ax said. Marco rolled his eyes. Marco's dad looked at Ax a bit strangely, then let it go. He hurried upstairs.   
"Well, there's one accident avoided. Come on." Marco said, and walked into the kitchen, where Nora was busy scrambling around the kitchen like a wild woman, trying to cook everything at one. "When do we eat?" Marco asked, standing by the doorway. Ax stood behind him, taking in deep breaths with his nose, savoring the aroma of the kitchen.   
"As soon as my family gets here. And as soon as your father gets ready." Nora said, not even looking up from what she was doing. Marco's face went pale.   
"YOUR family?" He asked. Nora nodded, as if speaking would somehow hinder her work. Marco groaned, and headed back into the living room. Ax followed, not really understanding what Marco was getting so upset about. "Great. Now I've gotta deal with a whole bunch of semi-relatives." He said.   
"Did you not say that this Thanksgiving is a time for family to come together?" Ax asked.   
"Yeah. MY family. Not _her_ family." Marco said dryly. Ax shrugged, a habit he had picked up from his time on Earth, and sat next to Marco on the couch. Marco grabbed the remote, and turned on the tv. A football game was playing. "Hm, the Dolphins and the Cowboys," He said, and leaned back watching the game. Ax looked at the screen with interest.   
"What is the purpose of this game?" Ax asked. Marco sighed, and looked over at him.   
"It's a long story."   
  
  
  


*** 

  
  
  
  


"Marco! Wake up!" Nora shouted, shaking Marco's shoulders gently. His eyes snapped open. He had fallen asleep while explaining the necessity of football to the male gender to Ax. He looked to his right. Ax was also asleep, and his head was lying on Marco's shoulder, and Ax's hand was on Marco's knee. Two thoughts ran through Marco's head. One, Why the HELL is Ax's hand on my knee? And two, How long has he been in morph?! He looked at his watch quickly. An hour and... fifty three minutes!   
"Ax! Wake up!" He yelled, shaking Ax's shoulders roughly, not really caring that Nora was still in the room. He kept shaking Ax, until his eyes snapped open. Marco only said two words. "Seven minutes!" Ax understood immediately, and made his way upstairs. Marco sighed, and leaned back against the couch, breathing a huge sigh of relief. Now the other question entered his mind. Why exactly _was_ Ax's hand on his knee? Nora sat down next to him. He looked over at her curiously. "Can I help you?" He asked.   
"Marco, I've been watching you lately. Both in class and here at home... and I've got a question for you." She asked. Marco arched an eyebrow at her. What was this about? Had Nora put something together in her head? Was she one of _them_? Marco's face went pale. "Are you... how can I say this... Are you attracted to other men?" She asked. Marco just stood still for a few minutes.   
"...Excuse me?" He stammered. Had she just really asked that? Was she asking if he was gay? He needed to sound as cool about this as possible. Was he gay? He didn't think so. He was attracted to Rachel, that was for sure. But he was also attracted to...   
"Gender doesn't really make a difference to me." He said non-chalantly. "I'm more open minded than that." He said. Nora seemed satisfied with that. But she still had a smirk on her face when she stood up.   
"Well, I'm glad to hear that you're not a homophobe." She said, and walked back into the kitchen. Marco was left almost star-struck. He couldn't believe that a MATH teacher had just questioned his sexuality. He shhok his head, and stood up, walking upstairs. He ran into Ax, who was walking back down. "You got out in time, I see."   
"Yes. It was very fortunate that you awoke when you did. I would not have been able to demorph, if you had not woken up at that specific time." He explained. Marco smiled.   
"Come on, Ax-man. It's time to eat."   


***   


Marco covered his head with his hands, sighing into his food. Ax on the other hand....   
"Oooh! What is this? This wonderful food substance?! Ce. Food stance!!!" He screamed in glee.   
"Um... that's stuffing..." Nora said. Nora, Jeremy, Nora's relatives, and Marco all stared at Ax as he performed a miracle in human nature. He ate three fourths of the turkey, half of the mashed potato's, a third of the stuffing, all the pumpkin pie, and all of the cranberry sauce. Why he hadn't exploaded yet, was a mystery to Marco.   
"Ahem," Jeremy said, getting everyone's attention. Marco jabbed Ax in the ribs, in an attempt to get him to calm down. "It's time for the traditional thanksgiving prayers." He said. Marco nodded, and whispered to Ax.   
"Chill out....Phillip... just go along with what I do." Marco said. Ax looked at him strangely, then swallowed a big bite of pumpkin pie.   
"I'll go first.... What I'm thankful for... I'm thankful that we were all able to be brought together today, and share a meal together. Family is the strongest bond that exists, and nothing can ever come in between it." He said, and looked at Nora. She nodded.   
"I'm thankful that both Marco and Jeremy have taken me into their home, and have accepted me as part of their family." She said, and looked at Marco.   
"I'm thankful that I have a wonderful father that always supports my decisions, and doesn't treat me like a total infant. I'm also thankful for certain math teachers who don't like to give out homework to their stepsons." Marco said with a smirk. Despite this, Nora let out a giggle. Next up was Ax. Marco looked at him, and gulped. Ax folded his hands, and closed his eyes.   
"I am thankful that I have such wonderful friends. End. Frends. Friends that have made me one of their own. I could ask nothing more of them. They could never know how much I care about them." He said. Marco, being the only one who really got the depth of Ax's words, began to tear up. When he opened his eyes, he found Ax staring at him, with a smile on his face. He immediately realized that Ax's hand was on Marco's knee again. Marco's face twisted into a smile.   
"Happy thanksgiving, Ax-man." He said in a whisper, so no one else could hear.   
"Happy thanksgiving to you too, Marco." Ax said, and continued eating.   


_End Notes - Yeah yeah, I know the end is a bit rushed. But that's the same with all my fics, isn't it? Seeing as I cannot write these two characters at ALL, what did y'all think? Drop me a review! Please? Pretty please???_


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